How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States

How did the Spanish-American War (1898) transform the United States? What alternative name does the author use for this war and why?

Why does the author use the term “pointillist empire” to describe the United States? Do you agree with the author’s assessment of what an “informal” empire is? Why or why not?

What are the key differences between the United States before and after World War II? Consider political, economic, cultural, and social factors.

How did global decolonization after World War II impact the United States? How did the United States’ relationship with its freed/incorporated territories compare with the post-colonial relationship between Britain and/or France and their former colonies?

What are “empire-killing technologies,” and why did they become important after World War II (264)? What technologies do you anticipate might shift the balance of power again?

How does the American self-perception of being a republic correlate with the United States first as a formal, and then as an informal, empire? Can neocolonialism and republicanism ever be reconciled? Why or why not?

What role do race and national identity play in issues surrounding the Greater United States, both historically and in the present day?

Compare and contrast nationalist leaders Emilio Aguinaldo of the Philippines and Pedro Albizu Campos of Puerto Rico. What were the similarities and differences of the two men in terms of their ideals, grievances, and relationship with the United States?